Unpacking the Meaning Behind the labelling of Kamala Harris as a 'DEI Hire'
As Vice President Kamala Harris announced her bid to become President of the United States, the familiar challenges faced by women of colour and other marginalised groups reared their ugly head once again.
Many American conservatives resorted to offensive and tired tropes, with some claiming she was merely a "DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] hire"—a statement loaded with misogynoir and worse.
Such attempts to disrespect and discredit people of colour, women, and other marginalised individuals serve as stark reminders of the ongoing work needed to achieve true equality. Sadly, this type of rhetoric is not uncommon in sectors like the built environment, where it acts both as a slur and as a convenient excuse for inaction on inclusion.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
Weaponizing DEI Against Cultural Change
Organisations seeking to implement fairer hiring practices often face resistance from within. The idea that underrepresented candidates are "undeserving" and are being given opportunities they "didn't earn" undermines efforts to ensure equality of opportunity—a principle protected by the Equality Act 2010. This act deems activities often framed as "positive discrimination" as unlawful.
Challenging Discriminatory Language
When colleagues weaponize another's social identity to hurt and humiliate, it's crucial to act as allies and speak out. Failure to do so normalises discrimination in the workplace. To challenge this bias, consider the following questions:
Why is a lack of ability, qualification, or experience assumed for this social identity or group?
Why make these assumptions before taking actions that the company has already committed to in its duty to create equality of opportunity?
Would this assumption be made of someone or a group (typically the majority) whose characteristics match the assumed norm? For instance, have you ever questioned the qualifications of male cisgender white candidates or of Presidents Bush, Clinton, or Trump? If not, why not?
The framing of someone as a "DEI hire" also presupposes that people of colour, women, disabled individuals, and others lack the potential or ability to succeed on their own merits. This implies that white, cisgender males are inherently superior—a notion as flawed as it is dangerous.
In Harris' case, her impressive credentials and experience, including her role as the second-in-command of the world’s largest democracy, are dismissed. Her expertise and achievements are rendered meaningless simply because her social identity "does not fit."
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels
Fairness Devalued
It is crucial to dispel the myth that improving diversity equates to "lowering the bar." This harmful belief not only undermines the basic value of fairness but also denies the existence of systemic discrimination, allowing some to believe that a lack of diversity is the natural order rather than a man made barrier.
At Built By Us, we are committed to building a world where no one who has dedicated their talent, time, and commitment to the construction industry is considered lesser by default or dismissed as a "diversity hire."
Photo by Ono Kosuki from Pexels
